A few weeks back, Foodbuzz offered their tastemakers an opportunity to host a dinner highlighting Buitoni’s new Riserva line by pairing their products with wine. Of COURSE I jumped at the opportunity!
I submitted a proposal based on pairing the Riserva products with fresh, local produce and local wines. The twist- it would be a progressive dinner party: meaning, guests move to different locations for each course of the meal. Last Saturday, all my planning came full circle and a dozen of us enjoyed a five-course dinner paired with 9 unique, local wines.
I knew which Buitoni Products I would be using; the next step was heading to the farmers market and seeing what looked good. I was a little worried, because it was still early in Northern Michigans growing season and we had been battling unseasonably cold temperatures the last few weeks. I came upon several beautiful stands of flowers & handmade pottery…but no produce. Then- I stumbled into this display.
EVERYTHING I know is good about spring time in Nothern Michigan- Rhubarb, Asparagus, Morel Mushrooms, Fresh Honey and Herb. Score! I quickly devised a menu in my head.
The Plan:
5pm: Appetizer & Salad at Shawn & Nikis
- Toasted Quattro Formaggi Ravioli with Duo of Spring Sauces: Sweet Pea Mint & Rhubarb Onion; paired with a late harvest riesling & a sweet Leelanau red.
- Garlic Morels & Wild Mushroom Ravioli Wilted Spinach Salad with Hazelnuts- tossed in a Chardonnay vinaigrette; paired with a pinot grigio and a red blend.
7pm: Entrees at Our House
- Chicken 4 Cheese Ravioli tossed in Asparagus Pesto; paired with Fishtown White & a Pinot Noir
- Spicy Beef & Sausage Ravioli served with Grilled Fennel & Onion- drizzled in a pomegranate balsamic reduction; paired with a steel barrel chardonnay & malbec.
10pm: Dessert & Drinks at Lance & Jessicas
- Lemon Curd Marscapone Ravioli topped with Strawberry Basil Salsa; served with a sparkling cherry wine.
One more stop at my favorite wine shop, and home I went to prepare the goods.
Butter; asparagus; shallots; mint & basil; marscapone; fennel; rhubarb; strawberries; the raviolis; asiago cheese; prosciutto; the morels; lemon.
First up, making the dipping sauces for the appetizer.
Sweet Pea & Mint Sauce
1 box frozen peas; thawed
1 large shallot, minced
handful fresh mint
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 cups chicken broth
salt, pepper, olive oil to taste
1. Saute shallots in olive oil until translucent- about 3 minutes. Add peas & chicken broth: bring to a simmer. Stir in handful of torn mint. Remove from heat.
2. Transfer to a food processor once slightly cooled. Add yogurt & puree.
Easy, Right?! This next one is a GREAT sweet and savory application of rhubarb.
Rhubarb Onion Jam
1 lb rhubarb, diced
1/2 large red onion, minced
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chardonnay
salt, pepper, olive oil to taste
1. Begin by sauteing onion & rhubarb in olive oil. Cook until everything is soft- about 5-8 minutes. 
2. Add wine & vinegar; bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper; simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Beautiful!
To make the ravioli themselves, I simply took the Quatro Formaggi Ravioli (an airy blend of whipped ricotta, fontina, Parmesan and Italian Grana Padano; heightened with roasted garlic) and did a simple egg wash (2 eggs & a splash of milk) then dipped them into an herbed breadcrumb mix: breadcrumbs, garlic powder, salt, pepper and fresh Parmesan cheese.
They went into a 450 degree oven for 8 minutes- until the cheese on top had browned.
Paired up with the dipping sauces & the vino:
And we DUG IN.
There was quite a split for preferences; those of us who preferred with sweet, tangy, savory rhubarb jam enjoyed the Leelanau Red: a semi-dry soft red table wine that was light with notes of pepper and blackberries. It was luscious but light on the palate, and really brought out the creaminess of the ravioli filling & the tartness of the sauce.
As for the sweet-pea mint fans, they hands down chose the Late Harvest Riesling: floral fruit and crisp citrus flavors balanced with a naturally sweet finish. It brought out all the sweetness of the peas, and the mint shone through to lighten everything up.
Moving on the the salad- I whipped up a simple vinaigrette in my new magic bullet (kinda love this thing…)- a shallot, a few tbsp local honey dijon, chardonnay, white wine vinegar & EVOO.
Then I got to work prepping my morels. Morels are a rare treat & delicacy in Northern Michigan; we even have entire festivals dedicated to them! A standard bundle runs about $30 a lb- 
Imagine my pure joy when I found these beauties for $15!!!!
Chopped them up…
Then sauteed them in BUTTAHH! 
Removed from pan & added spinach to wilt. After wilting a few handfuls, I drizzled in the vinaigrette.
After boiling/straining the wild mushroom ravioli (portobello & cremini mushrooms, garlic & Grana Padano cheese), I assembled the salad by laying ravioli on top of the wilted spinach, topping it with the morels and sprinkling of chopped hazelnuts.
Paired with Good Harbor Pinot Grigio: a stainless steel preserved wine that has a full nose of citrus, and a clean, lingering finish on the palate. PERFECT to cut the butteriness of the morels and bring out the nuttiness in the spinach & hazelnuts. Clearly, my favorite bites with of the spinach/morels with the Pinot Grigio. However, I feel it overpowered the vinaigrette and I lost the woodsiness of the ravioli.
The star of this course was the pairing with the Black Star Farms Red House Red: a vibrant blend of four different varieties: Cabernet Franc as the main component, complemented by Merlot, Pinot Noir, and the French-American varieties-Foch and Regant. It is a lighter bodied red that has a fruity nose, herbaceous flavor marked with oak and vanilla, that finished smoothly.
OH. SO. GOOD.
To cleanse our palates before our next stop, we shared a shot of Almond Tequila that Niki & Shawn bought on our trip to an agave plantation in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico!
Back at my house, I got to work on the Asparagus Pesto.
Asparagus Pesto
1 lb asparagus, woody ends trimmed
1/2 cup fresh parmesan
1/2 cup pine nuts
3-4 garlic cloves
a large handful fresh basil
EVOO to taste
1. Cut your asparagus into 2 inch segments & drop in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, or until form tender. Strain & run under cold water.
2. In food processor, combine basil, garlic, pine nuts, cheese & asparagus. While blending, stream in EVOO until smooth mixture forms.
I tossed the chicken & four cheese ravioli in the pesto, causing it to melt slightly and thickly coat each ravioli. I topped it with oven crisped prosciutto and more parmesan cheese.
I have to apologize in advance. I had messed up some settings on my camera, and apparently had sampled too much vino to figure out the problem. SO PLEASE, forgive the blurry, yellow photos. Ick.
This dish we paired with Good Harbor Fishtown White: a Vignoles/Chardonnay blend, with strong floral aromas, crisp lemon peel and candied fruit flavors, with a crisp light finish; the other wine was the Chateau Grand Traverse Pinot Noir: aged in small oak barrels, with flavors of cherry, raspberry and chocolate with medium body, firm tannins and a fruity finish.
The Fishtown White EASILY won this battle. The bright citrus subtly enhanced the herbal pesto and the salt prosciutto bits paired well with the crisp wine. The chicken ravioli were delicious- creamy & great roasted chicken flavor.
For the final entree, we took the Spicy Beef & Sausage ravioli and mixed it with grilled fennel & onion, and a simple pomegranate-balsamic reduction.
The reduction started with a clove of garlic, minced, and sauteed till golden. I then added a bottle of POM and about a 1/2 cup of balsamic; simmered until reduced by 1/3!
Oh, MY, GAHHH. This dish was EVERYONES favorite of the night!! The grilled fennel was the perfect match to the sausage & beef ravioli; the anise flavors matched perfectly with the sweet pomegranate reduction and grilled onions.
The Bowers Harbor Vineyards Unwooded Chardonnay had fresh fruit flavors of apple and pear, followed by a buttery, clean finish. It brought out the richness of the beef in the ravioli wonderfully. Personally, though, I thought it was almost TOO sweet to go with the other sweet elements abounding in this dish.
The wine I preferred was a Malbec from Chateau Chantal: inky and dark with ripe tannins, with aromas of plums, licorice and spice, this red had a silky texture and lingering finish. It was perfectly matched with the smoky grilled vegetables, and its slightly dry mouth feel let the sweet reduction shine without being overwhelming. I LOVED THIS WINE!
For dessert, I made lemon curd, whipped it with marscapone, stuffed it in won tons, and baked it off in the oven. Layered with a strawberry & basil salsa, this was the perfect ending to our dinner. I will be devoting an entire post to this recipe at a later date.
With a luscious sparking cherry wine for a night cap.
THANK YOU sooo much to Foodbuzz, Buitoni & my FRIENDS for making this experience unforgettable!
